Chief justice: Give judges a $45,000 raise

Updated 7:02 am, Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Photo: Bob Child, ST

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Connecticut State Supreme Court Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers' proposal to give most state judges pay raises of $45,000 over the next four years is drawing criticism from some state lawmakers, who say the state can’t afford the increases.
Rogers proposed the raises on Oct. 3 to the state Commission on Judicial Compensation, saying judges’ pay hasn’t increased over the past five years and needs to be brought in line with salaries of judges in other states. less

Connecticut State Supreme Court Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers' proposal to give most state judges pay raises of $45,000 over the next four years is drawing criticism from some state lawmakers, who say the ... more

Photo: Bob Child, ST

Chief justice: Give judges a $45,000 raise

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HARTFORD (AP) -- A proposal by Connecticut Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers to give most state judges pay raises of $45,000 over the next four years is drawing criticism from some state lawmakers, who say the state can't afford the increases.

Rogers proposed the raises on Oct. 3 to the state Commission on Judicial Compensation, saying judges' pay hasn't increased over the past five years and needs to be brought in line with salaries of judges in other states. Rogers proposed a pay raise of about 11 percent for the fiscal year that begins next July and 5.5 percent raises in the following three years.

A Superior Court judge's salary would increase from about $147,000 to about $192,000 over the four years, while Supreme Court justices' pay would rise from about $163,000 to about $212,000. Rogers said the 11 percent raises the first year would cost up to $3.8 million, which she noted represents only 0.02 percent of the state's general fund.

"I believe that these recommendations strike a fair balance between adequately compensating the judges and the fiscal realities of our time," Rogers wrote in a 20-page report. "As public officials, judges do not expect to become wealthy. But fairness and the need to retain highly qualified jurists require that judicial salaries maintain their value."

All Superior Court judges have been paid about $147,000 a year since their last raise in 2007. That's the 14th highest salary level in the country for general trial court judges, but 45th in the nation when the state's high cost of living is factored in, according to the National Center for State Courts. The average trial court judge's salary nationwide is about $137,000 a year.

State Rep. Arthur O'Neill, R-Southbury, said Rogers picked an unfortunate time to propose raises. O'Neill said the state is grappling with a budget deficit -- estimated by the comptroller's office at nearly $27 million for the current year -- and a mountain of unfunded liabilities while most other state employees are under a pay freeze.

O'Neill, a member of the Judiciary and Appropriations committees, also noted last week's controversy over $250,000 in unauthorized pay raises for officials with the state Board of Regents for Higher Education, which led to the resignations of two top officials.

"The thing with the higher education I think really soured people against any kind of wage increase," O'Neill said. "I think this is really a difficult time to propose substantial pay raises for people who are already making more money than most Connecticut residents."

State Rep. Chris Wright, D-Bristol, said he also opposes Rogers' recommendations.

"Judges probably deserve a pay raise," Wright said. "But there are people everywhere, both in the private and public sector, who deserve pay raises but do not earn as much as judges."

The Commission on Judicial Compensation will be meeting over the next three months to make a pay recommendation to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the legislature.

Roy Occhiogrosso, a senior adviser to Malloy, said the commission was established earlier this year develop a nonpolitical analysis of judicial pay raises. He said the governor's office had no comment on Rogers' proposal.

"As soon as this office comments on the issue it will no doubt become political, especially in the closing weeks of a campaign season," Occhiogrosso said.